Fever 104FM Bangalore gets local with Kannada music

The Bangalore station of Fever increases regional appeal by including Kannada music

Fever & #BANNER1 & # 104FM is making an attempt to sound different from the scores of other radio stations in Bangalore, most of which dish out hit Bollywood numbers for the better part of the day.

Fever is breaking the clutter by playing Kannada music. This will be accompanied by increased use of the regional language by its radio jockeys while interacting with listeners. The change is a strategic one for Fever, and the idea of playing Kannada and Hindi hits on air is part of a larger change in format for the radio station.

Anjali Paul

Commenting on the new initiative, Anjali Paul, station head, Fever 104 Bangalore, says, "Fever as a brand has been able to create a name for itself in Bangalore. Over the past one year, we have been successful in creating a dedicated listener base. But of late, feedback from listeners and our own research and market analysis threw up interesting insights as to what listeners would like to listen to when they tune in to Fever in Bangalore. The fact is that youngsters are ready for Kannada music and would love to interact in their mother tongue on air."

How well does the emphasis on the regional language work in a city which, by and large, is identified as a cosmopolitan city? "We will have a good mixture of English and Hindi language content. The only addition will be playing Kannada and Hindi hits every hour. We realise that the people of Bangalore are not averse to using their language as a conversation tool. Moreover, of late, there has been a resurgence in Kannada culture, arts and music. All this change should reflect in the regional players in the city," clarifies Paul.

Paul makes it clear that despite the changes, the station continues to be a Fever brand, and still communicates and represents values such as vivaciousness, wittiness and fun. However, the new elements are in line with the evolving tastes and preferences of the listeners.

Fever Bangalore will now have a good mix of Kannada music and conversation, interspersed with Hindi music and English interaction. Paul further justifies the change by adding, "If one looks back, one realises that seven-eight years ago, Hindi as a language was in a similar position as that of, say, Kannada today. Earlier, Hindi was looked down upon as a secondary language, but the business arithmetic at work has turned the table in favour of the language. Today, Bollywood music rules the roost, cutting across age and class. Similarly, Kannada, too, is going to be a favourite with our target audience."

Paul promises that Fever Bangalore will offer its listeners engaging content, riding high on fun and interactivity.